With the economy continuing to worsen, almost by the day, many massage therapists are becoming more and more concerned about the future of their practice, income, and livelihood.

Questions like, “Are people going to be able to afford massage therapy” and “What the heck’s going to happen to my practice in the future” are only some of the thoughts and concerns many therapists are dealing with. And rightly so. The economy IS terrible and it IS more difficult than ever to be a successful massage therapist. However…

It’s in times like these that fortunes are made!
It’s times like these that separate the “real-deal” from the “ordinary and average”.

I believe that wholeheartedly because history has proved it time and again.

The question is… do you?

Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re at all like me, you’ve been paying close attention to the two presidential candidates and the promises each have been making.

Personally, I don’t watch much TV. But, when I do, it’s typically “Hannity and Colmes” or Glenn Beck or one of the other political news programs.

As a marketer, I’m not only interested in what they have to say about their policies and values for my family (and chiropractic), I’m also fascinated with how they campaign and position themselves to Americans. There’s a treasure trove of marketing and practice-promotional nuggets we can reap from even a cursory observation of what we see from both campaigns.

For example, one thing both campaigns attempt to do… often times quite poorly… is align their candidate’s message with the what American’s are thinking and feeling.

In other words, advisors behind both of the presidential parties understand that in order for their candidate to deliver a powerful and impactful message, its contents need to line up with what is already important and relevant to people.

This is a powerful persuasion idea that marketing legend, Robert Collier, coined years ago within the advertising world as “entering the conversation already going on in the mind of your target audience”.

Read the rest of this entry »

Many massage therapists are sitting on untapped profit centers, without even realizing it. There’s a simple, work-free way to generate additional income every month… maybe even every week… that few massage therapists realize. I’m talking about a way to deliver additional needed value to your clients, while generating extra cash flow for your practice and income for yourself, with you doing very little work, if any.

The profit center(s) I’m referring to is a form of strategic alliances that allow you to leverage the knowledge of other local professionals.

Let me give you an example of how this could easily work for you:

First, you begin by surveying your clients to find out what health, wellness, fitness, or nutritional information they are most interested in.

As a side note, you should be surveying your clients on a regular basis, regardless of whether you use this “zero-work profit center” method or not. Regular surveys give you the opportunity to uncover any unmet needs of your clients, and hence open up an opportunity for you to fill those needs with an additional product or service within your practice.

Read the rest of this entry »

“Please daddy.”

“Pretty plllleeeeaaaassse daddy, with birthday cake and 100 diet cokes on top!!!!!!!”, my youngest daughter pleaded with me in our backyard, clawing at my t-shirt to throw her in the air again.

Oh, how savvy (and relentless) these little ones naturally are when they want something, right?!

My daughter knows exactly what my vice is – those nasty diet cokes – and used it quite nicely, I might add, in her quest to get one more toss into the air.

“Alright, come here”, was my “aw-shucks, daddy-is-too-weak-to-say-no-to-that-kind-of-request” response to her.

And up in the air she went again.

Read the rest of this entry »

“Nothing Can Stop A Trane”.

That’s what I read this morning on the side of a big white truck, as I was pulling out of the health club parking lot.

“What the heck does that mean”, I thought to myself.

“What are they selling?”

Luckily, I was able to catch a glimpse of the company name also on the side of truck.

Read the rest of this entry »

Do you know how many people are searching online to find a massage therapist in your area?

It’s crazy!

According to Yahoo, over 1,000 times every day someone looks for a massage therapist by typing the phrase ‘massage therapist’ into Yahoo’s search engine.

More on how you can turn those people into new clients, in a second.

With Google, MSN, and the rest of the search engines, we’re talking over 3,000 searches every single day just for the phrase ‘massage therapist’!

That equates to 125 searches for a massage therapist online every hour of every day… or 2 searches for a massage therapist every second of every day.

Read the rest of this entry »

Does it seem like all some massage clients are looking for is the cheapest therapist in your area?

If so, “massage commoditization” is almost always to blame!

What is “massage commoditization”?

It’s when a therapist allows their massage business and service to look exactly like what every other therapist in their area is doing and offering to clients.

In other words, commodization of your massage practice occurs when you allow clients and prospective clients to think that what you’re offering is really the same as what every other therapist is offering.

When you allow that to happen price becomes the biggest concern for people.

Read the rest of this entry »

Yesterday I took my kids to the Miami Seaquarium, and while there I discovered a major flaw in the way most massage therapists think about one of the most powerful marketing methods available to them.

While strolling from one salt water tank display to the next, I came across a tank with, what was to me, a very interesting and eye-opening explanation next to it.

I don’t remember what the heck was in the tank, but I’ll never forget what was next to it.

This little plaque on the wall explained the relationship between a host and a parasite.

I’m assuming that whatever was in the tank was a parasitic organism living off some type of host, also in the tank.

Read the rest of this entry »

Would this increase or decrease your massage income…

If you charged $15 to $25 dollars more per massage than your competitors?

Most therapists… right off the bat… think if they had the highest fees in their area that they’d lose business and struggle to get clients.

Not so.

When you understand the right way to present your massage fees, your higher fees become irrelevant to most prospective clients.

In fact, when presented correctly, your higher fees will actually make your bodywork services more appealing to prospective clients.

Read the rest of this entry »

Seems everyone, including massage therapists, are wondering what happened at the end of the Soprano’s.

I guess it’s a bit of an odd topic to chat about in an email really dedicated to massage marketing; but, regardless, I’ll tell you what I think in a second.

It shouldn’t suprise you that there’s a fantastic massage marketing lesson we can glean from the Soprano’s final episode.

Afterall, David Chase (mastermind behind the Soprano’s) is a true marketing wizard.

Read the rest of this entry »

Have you caught wind of the news?

Some therapists are panicking about the pending price increase hitting us on July 15, 2007.

Meanwhile, other therapists are chuckling with delight.

What price increase am I referring too, and why are some therapists excited while others are totally bummed?

Read the rest of this entry »

If this doesn’t get you excited, nothing will.

You can actually start benefitting from this simple massage client attraction tip immediately after you finish this email.

Excited yet?

No?

Just hang tight, you will be. Trust me.

First, a question…

Read the rest of this entry »

Be honest…

Are you one of those massage therapists who’s uncomfortable talking to people about spending money with you?

Are your massage fees lower than what you believe your massage services are actually worth?

Is it tough for you to talk to clients and prospective clients about paying for your massage services?

Read the rest of this entry »

Today, I’ve got 2 very profound massage business- building lessons for you.

Both of which can radically alter your massage practice, income, and life in general.

One is from my 5-year old daughter, Gabriella, of all people. And, the other is from Bill Gates (certainly much more appropriate).

Let’s start with the lesson from my daughter.

I call it the Happiness Rope Trick.

A few weeks ago as I was doing a little bass fishing in the canal in my backyard (ahhhh, the benefits of the Sunshine State), my daughter came over to me with a piece of yarn about a foot long, and said, “Daddy, can I show you a trick?”

Read the rest of this entry »

Possibly the most misunderstand part of massage marketing is TIMING.

And, I’ll prove it to you, and show you how to nail this aspect of your marketing at the same time.

What do I mean by TIMING?

Well, let’s start with this…

Read the rest of this entry »

Did you know…

…your massage practice has it’s own cholesterol reading?

Well, sort of.

Actually, it *should* have it’s own cholesterol reading.

Let me explain.

Have you ever heard the massage management formula – W.G.M.G.D.?

No?

Well, it stands for…

Read the rest of this entry »

Have you ever heard of the Massage “Half and Half” Technique?

Me neither… up until this afternoon.

While I was interviewing author and speaker, Sam Horn, for this month’s Audio Learning Library addition for MassageBusinessUniversity.com, she blurted out with something that was worth it’s weight in gold.

Before I tell you what she said, let me first share with you the premise behind her book and why I so desperately wanted to interview her for our Massage Business University members.

The name of her book is 

    “POP! Stand Out In Any Crowd”.

Read the rest of this entry »

NutriSystem taught me something today about massage therapists…

And I just had to share it with you.

Here’s the scoop:

Last Tuesday, Kellie and I decided to go on NutriSystem for a few weeks to try and trim up a bit before our family vacation in mid-march to Club Med.

Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve got an odd question for you…

You’ve seen the Hummer H3 truck, right?

The smaller version of that humongous Hummer H2 truck?

Well, about a month ago I decided to buy one for myself.

Funny thing is, my experience at the dealership was so insane, it immediately reminded me of a critical massage practice-building
lesson.

Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve got a bet for you…

I bet you’re unknowingly threatening
prospective clients with whatever marketing
you do in your practice, and scaring them into
*NOT* calling you for an appointment.

Don’t think so?

Well, let me explain why it’s most likely
the case…

It’s no secret that people don’t like being
’sold’ or pressured into anything.

(It’s something I just personally went
through when looking for a new vehicle
for my wife, Kellie.  Uggh… the car
sales-guy and his schtick!)

Read the rest of this entry »

The so-called massage business-building
educators have it all wrong…

There’s a whole bunch of nonsense being fed to
massage therapists about the cause of such
struggling within the profession.

And, it really ticks me off!

Today, you’re finally going to hear the truth
about why so many massage therapists never reach
their financial goals, and the *one* thing YOU can
do to make sure YOU do.

Be honest, how many of these have you heard
blamed for the reason why so many massage
therapists are barely getting by:

1. Massage therapists don’t get the respect they
deserve.

Read the rest of this entry »

Be honest…

Are you one of those massage
therapists who struggles with how
you’re going to differentiate your
practice from all the others in your
area?

For most massage therapists they find it
extremely difficult to differentiate the
massage services they’re offering from the
massage services all of the other massage
therapists are offering in their area.

In other words, most practitioners struggle
with the idea of offering clients and
prospective clients something different from
all the other massage therapists and spas
around them.

“I mean, it’s all massage, isn’t it?
It’s all the same thing.”, is usually something
that comes out of their mouths.

Read the rest of this entry »

Article Sponsored By:

“Is your massage practice REFERRABLE?”

Is it??

What an incredibly important and powerful question that is… that unfortunately most therapists don’t spend enough time thinking about.

Today, we’re going to change that, so you can start getting the referrals into your practice you want and need! I first heard that savvy question asked during a special interview I did some time ago with Bill Cates, author of the book “Get More Referrals Now!”.

Read the rest of this entry »

Do you know who Ray Kroc is?

I know you know who Walt Disney is.

Well, both of those guys are quoted as teaching a very important business building lesson that you need to understand if you’re ever going to create a super-successful massage practice. It’s amazing how this one unique way both Ray Kroc and Walt looked at their businesses had such a gigantic impact on their success and profitability.

But it did.

Read the rest of this entry »

I’m curious…

Does your massage practice exhibit these 3 traits?

They’re the 3 traits that you’ll find in the extremely successful massage practices… the ones with revenues well over $100,000 a year.

You’d actually probably find more than just 3 common traits, but for the purpose of this email I want to talk about the 3 biggies.

Get your pen and paper ready… this is going to be one heck of an email…

Ready??

First, all extremely lucrative massage practices have a significant amount of business alliances.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Most Important Massage
Number Is…

If you really want to make big money
with your massage practice, you’ll
need to focus on this one number.

It’s more important that any other
number in your entire practice, aside
from your cash balance, of course.

This one number tells you how much
you should be willing to spend on your
marketing to get new clients.

This one numbers tells you how much
you should be willing to do to keep
a client active in your practice.

This one number provides you with a
HUGE competitive advantage over all
of the surrounding practitioners
in your area.

Read the rest of this entry »